Situation

The outstanding Galloway House is located in approx. 20 acres of tranquil gardens, grounds (believed to be influenced by Capability Brown), and a field surrounded by mature woodlands, overlooking Wigtown Bay. Wigtownshire is the gem of South West Scotland, for centuries well known and appreciated for its colourful hills, magnificent forests, rivers and dramatic coastlines. It has a low population, creating a quiet and peaceful atmosphere. The area benefits from the mild Gulf Stream climate, which allows a variety of tender plants, including palm trees, to grow.

There are many opportunities for country sports in the area, including wild-fowling, fishing and stalking, as well as pheasant and partridge shooting on surrounding estates. There are several excellent golf courses, such as Wigtown, Newton Stewart, Gatehouse of Fleet, Glenluce and Stranraer with Championship courses at Turnberry. The coastline offers sailing and sea fishing and there are safe anchorages at Garlieston, Port William and the Isle of Whithorn.

Garlieston is a small fishing village, located just under a mile away, and has a primary school. Newton Stewart offers the nearest secondary school, as well as supermarkets, a variety of shops and professional services. The historic town of Wigtown, "Scotland`s National Book Town", lies about 8 miles to the north and is home to both the smallest and the largest bookshops in Scotland. Stranraer (33 miles) and Dumfries (57 miles) are the major towns in the area and have an excellent range of shops and local services, hospitals and supermarkets as well as railway stations with regular services to Glasgow and London.

Galloway House can be easily accessed from the transport network of Scotland. The M6/M74, the main route from North West England to Scotland, lies to the east of Dumfries while Prestwick Airport (69 miles), Glasgow International Airport (100 miles) and Edinburgh Airport (135 miles) are also within easy driving distance. These have regular flights to London as well as a wide variety of other domestic and foreign destinations. Stranraer lies 33 miles to the west and is the ferry terminal for Northern Ireland with services to Larne and Belfast.

Architecture And History

Galloway House is an imposing George II Category "A" Listed Palladian mansion house of national significance. It was built for Alexander Stewart, Lord Garlies, later the 6th Earl of Galloway. The family seat was previously at Garlies Castle then at Glasserton. When Glasserton was destroyed by fire in 1734, the 5th Earl set about building another house. However his heir, Lord Garlies, decided a new grand mansion was called for. He was well known for his extravagant personality and generous hospitality. He chose to situate it near the old fishing hamlet of Carsewell at Pouton, overlooking Wigtown Bay, which he described as the healthiest, pleasantest, most agreeable and convenient place in the whole estate.

A design submitted by William Adam was amended by the architect Sir John Clerk of Penicuik, Lord Garlies kinsman and the great arbiter of taste of the day. Lord Garlies commissioned the master mason, John Baxter, to build his new house. The house overlooks the Solway Firth and was built from 1740, taking 5 years to complete. It was later worked on by architects Robert Milne in 1764 and William Burn in 1842. The construction is of whinstone and elaborately carved and dressed red sandstone, with slate and lead pitched roofing. The total floor space, including two staff flats and outbuildings, is about 35, 000 sq ft. Well preserved, with conditions created for remaining refurbishment, extensive upgrading and preparation works having already been undertaken.

The total floor space, including two staff flats and outbuildings, is about 35, 000 sq ft. Well preserved, with conditions created for remaining refurbishment, extensive upgrading and preparation works have already been undertaken.

There is flexibility in the size and layout of the building, which makes it an outstanding family home with potential for additional, complimentary commercial useage.

The house is set in listed and protected parkland and farmland and enjoys legal access to the adjoining sandy Rigg Bay beach.

The family name of the Earls of Galloway is Stewart which is one of the most significant clans of Scotland, and their direct descendants date back to Robert the Bruce. The Clan Stewart was active in most of Scotland’s wars. A great number of clansmen were killed at the final battle of Culloden, fighting for Charles Edward Stuart, Bonnie Prince Charlie. The House of Stewart not only provided all the monarchs of Scotland from 1371 to 1603, but also of the united crowns of Scotland and England from 1603 to 1714 and through time, 13 Dukedoms and 17 Earldoms in Great Britain. The Stewarts also provided two British Prime Ministers and held Dukedoms in Italy, France and Spain. The Royal Stewart tartan is worn by Hrh Queen Elizabeth II. The Garlies branch had associations with Robert I, James I, Mary Queen of Scots, Bonnie Prince Charlie, Queen Anne, Robert Burns, Lord Nelson, Wellington, Walpole and Gladstone among many others.

The poet Robert Burns, whom the 7th Earl of Galloway refused to receive at Galloway House, disliking his politics, satires him vigorously in Epigrams against the Earl of Galloway as shown in the following extract:

What dost thou in that mansion fair,

Flit Galloway, and find

Some narrow dirty, dungeon cave,

The picture of thy mind.

However, the Earl is described in an obituary:

Perhaps there never was a nobleman more deservedly and sincerely regretted by so many distinguished families and connections, and by so many poor people, long employed, and supported by him.

Accommodation

Principal Floor

Internally, the property has grand reception rooms and period features. The principal reception rooms look out over the garden to the waterways of Wigtown Bay and the Solway Firth and then to the distant Cumbrian hills.

The Entrance Hall (50’4x20’4) has outstanding and superb double height ceilings and Rococo wall plaster. At one end is a marble and carved limewood fireplace and the other a sweeping oak staircase, overlooked by a galleried first floor landing

Double doors lead into the:

Bow-fronted Drawing Room (40’x33’5), with east facing French doors leading to a sandstone balcony and steps to the garden. There is also a delightful carved Italian marble chimneypiece, depicting Aesop’s fable of the fox and heron. The ceiling has ornate plaster cornices. The architraves are carved limewood and the flooring oak parquetry.

To the south is an Ante Room which links to the Dining Room.

To the north of the Drawing Room is the Billiard Room with extensive fitted book shelving and interlinking with:

Library, also with extensive fitted book shelving (with a capacity of approx. 6, 500 books) and finally into:

Ballroom (32’4x29’6). The Ballroom has tall windows on two aspects, two black marble fireplaces, a spectacular ornate vaulted corniced ceiling, and oak parquetry floors.

A Gun room off the ballroom has a walk-in Chubb safe, and leads out towards the North Pavilion and the service wing. From the entrance hall a separate passage leads around the front of the house, connecting the principal reception rooms and then to the north pavilion.

Stairs lead up to the double height Chapel (30’x29’8) which has panelled walls and a fabulous cantilevered and semicircular ribbed buttress timber ceiling.

On the south side of the entrance hall the corridor leads to a guest Powder Room and then around into the:

South Pavilion. This was the schoolroom and bedroom accommodation for the children of the Earls. The accommodation in the South Pavilion on the first floor includes a bathroom, bedroom and WC. An internal staircase connects up to a further two bedrooms. From the first floor of the South Pavilion, a corridor links in to the principal first floor accommodation, and a further double bedroom and bathroom.

Off the south corridor is the pleasant bow-fronted Italian Room (24’x19’), which overlooks the sunken Italian Garden.

Interlinking from here is the Office.

Leading from the south corridor is the large family Kitchen (24’x18’5), a wonderfully light room with tall windows to the south and east and double doors leading down stone steps to, and overlooking, the garden. The kitchen has a range of floor units, an Aga with four ovens, Belfast sink and dishwasher.

First Floor

From the entrance hall, the staircase leads to the first floor and the galleried landing. From the centre of the landing, steps lead up to the panoramic bow-fronted Master Bedroom (29’9x29’1). This has views to the east over the Solway Firth. There is a dressing room on one side, and the other side could easily be used as an en suite bathroom (all rooms separately interconnect). There are six further large bedrooms on this floor which are served by two bathrooms and two separate WCs.

Second Floor

From the north end of the landing, a staircase leads to the second floor and a further staircase drops down to the chapel in the north pavilion. There is a further bedroom. The second floor can also be accessed by a staircase from the master bedroom, which leads to another panoramic bow-fronted bedroom directly above the master bedroom. There are an additional nine rooms on this upper floor and two bathrooms and two separate WCs.

Lower Ground Garden Floor

The lower ground garden floor provides extensive further accommodation. Part of this is a Staff Flat which has a reception room, a kitchen, three bedrooms and a bathroom. The rest of the floor provides exceptional ancillary accommodation to the principal apartments. In the north pavilion there is a large garage/workshop.

Service Wing

This area is extensive and comprises a second Staff Flat, with large reception room, kitchen, 3 bedrooms and bathroom. There is storage, game larder, garaging for up to 10 cars, wood sheds, boiler room, and large 40’ garden hut.

Gardens And Grounds

Galloway House is approached by both a council adopted drive and a private driveway from the village of Garlieston. The house is situated in approximately 20 acres of gardens and grounds. To the west of the house the drive leads into a large parking and turning crescent at the front of the house. The principal garden lies to the south and east of the house, with woodland on the north and south. The sunken Italian garden has five symmetrical beds, a greenhouse and a surrounding stone wall. It is protected on the south and north by mature woodland with magnificent specimen trees including cedar, beech, lime, chestnut, oak, ash, firs, aspen and laurel and with mature exotic species of rhododendrons. The garden to the east of the house is laid into four large quadrant lawns with a ha-ha.

Services

The house is served by 3 phase electricity with mains water and private drainage. There is an oil-fired central heating system.

Council Tax

The property is in Council Tax Band H.

Listing

Galloway House is a Grade A Listed Building.